Penny's Pies and Jenny Siddle's Hill (Northumberland) March 22nd.

Reduced in number yet again by holidays and family commitments four of us are out for a walk from Blanchland in Northumberland, just.

We are John Ha., John C., Dave and me.

Blanchland is a very pretty village, guaranteed to get a mention in up-market newspaper travel sections as one of those “must see places”, especially when there has to be one in the north of England.

The local TV station weather person said it would be a windy, overcast day. He was right, the wind gusted all day, mostly on backs and sides.

The village owes its existence to the Premonstratensian White Canons (Hence the name Blanchland) who built an Abbey here. Closed with the dissolution in 1539 the buildings became a house. In the 18^th century the Crewe Trust built the village that exists today, using stone from the old Abbey.

To get to the start in the village from Newcastle take the A69 west, turn south on the A68 near Corbridge and watch out for sign posts.

There is a car park with an honesty box and we are.

The map to use is OS OL 43 Hadrian’s Wall.

Unfortunately I had a camera problem, unrealised until we had started walking so my picture of the car park was not saved. I pinched this one from the internet and the honesty box is from Dave.

  Th e car park in Blanchland. Thank you somebody. You will gert a credit in my forthcoming guide to northern car parks

                                                Honesty box in the car park.

The walk;

Leaving the car park we turned left and for a short distance we followed the Pennine Journey before spotting the sign post on the left and following it to Cote House Farm. (Called Coat House Farm on some maps) Through the farmyard and slightly uphill we came to a point where we made a little mistake. Two gates, John Ha. and I thought the left hand gate was the one to go through but we were told otherwise and opened the right hand gate. Sometime later, having followed a fence with a vicious looking top strand of barbed wire we found a gate. On the other side was a felled plantation (still a wood on the map) so we struggled over tree stumps and brushwood , across another field until we finally came to the solid track we should have been on in the first place.

                    I think it's this way

A cheery quad biking farmer asked cheekily if we had finally found the right way.

We followed the track (Not the Pennine Journey) until we reached Pennypie House, so called because when this route was a  drove road  cattle drovers could stop here and rest and buy a pie for an old penny. (1d)

     Pennypie House Farm. Not selling even for £1 today

Beyond the house we were on to open moorland, complete with grouse butts and Barbour/wellie clad people. They were not out shooting as it is closed season, they were doing a headcount to estimate the number of grouse they would be able to shoot after August 12^th.

                        Into Slaley Forest

After a few miles we reached Slaley Forest and turned east inside the plantation. On the map it is marked woodland but south of the forest road had been cleared of timber leaving more ugly looking debris and no protection from the wind.

Towards the end we headed into the trees and sat on moss covered tree stumps for a Herbie; lemon slices, Titans and home made ginger cake from Mrs Ha..

           

               No hint as to its purpose. 

                       Pond close to today's Herbie Spot

Break over we continued roughly east, crossed  the road, crossed more moorland and fields before reaching Winnowshill Farm and country cottages.

                       Winnowshill Farm

                   Grouse Butt between Slaley Forets and Winnowhill

From here, turning right we walked along the road for a few miles. Jenny Siddle's Hill is on the right of the road before Hotburn Hill. It is not marked on some maps. The left hand side of the road borders Derwent Reservoir and is a nature reserve. Public access is forbidden which is understandable in a way but disappointing too.

At the bridge over the Derwent River, which is the boundary between Northumberland and Durham we took the riverside footpath back to Blanchland. The prettiest section of an excellent walk the path clings mostly to the bank. A pity we couldn't find an alternative to the road from Winnowshill but a five star gadgie day.

Changed we went to the village pub and hotel. Lord Crewe. They had three beers on offer; Steel Rigg from Twice Brewed pub and brewery,  McCalls Lady Marmalade and Wylam Brewery Collingwood. The tea was nice too.

                         River Derwent and the footpath back to Blanchland.

The tea room, looks like an old school building.

 Around Blanchland village. The church, built from the old Abbey is St. Mary the Virgin

Contains OS data, copyright. Crown copyright and databaseright 2019



SUPER MATRIX MMXIX 3d

                                                          Steps                                  Miles

NAK                                                30642                               11

Dave’s NAK 1                                22159                               10.49

“””””””””””””2                             22201                                10.51

“”””””USB                                     22520                                10.66

S M                                                22914                                 10.49

Etrex                     4hr walk 47min talk                                  10.61

Iphone                                           23982                                  10.7

OUTDOOR                                                                                  10.4